Erasmus Experience in Lisbon, Portugal by Silvia

Why did you choose to go to Lisbon, Portugal?

Because Portugal sounded a good idea, and the grant was here :)

How long is the scholarship? How much money do you receive to help you with living costs?

9 months. 550 euros per month, but until now I did not find a solution to fit my needs in this amount of money.

What is the student lifestyle like in Lisbon?

I am not a student, I'm an intern in a small NGO, so I lack companionship :) But from what I visited, Barrio Alto is a great place to chill with friends, with not so expensive drinks (in some places). There are thematic events in lots of bars.

Would you recommend the city and the University of Lisbon to other students?

Definitely I would recommend the city. The people are friendly, you can get understood in English, more or less, but enough for daily purposes. The parties are wild. The weather is fantastic until now. Beware of the cold inside, though. Most old houses do not have heating systems, so 15 outside means roughly the same inside :(

What is the food like?

The food is good. They have lots of kinds of sweets (in one month, with moderation, I could not taste even half). Although I am not a fish person, I found fish dishes that I could eat, which is a miracle for me. Traditional food is a little too full of calories, so you need attention with that. Weirdly, they lack feta cheese :)

Did it cost you to find your accommodation in Lisbon?

Not really, but I do not have a good deal. 250 euros per month for a very small room is a little above my possibilities. I am still looking.

How much does it cost to live in Lisbon?

A lot more than in Romania, a lot less than in other occidental capitals. In the fist month I fucked up about 700 euros.

Is the language easy to get to grips with? Are there language courses available at the University?

For people who know at least 2 latin languages, it is intelligible, mostly in the written form. They sing it a lot in the oral version. I think they have courses in the universities.

What's the easiest or most economical way to travel to Lisbon from your city?

Easiest - plane, most economical - bus (140 euros), but it takes like 3 days. Will definitely not do that again.

Where would you recommend to go on a night out in Lisbon?

Barrio Alto, Baixa Chiado, some event of your choice on their list of events.

And for eating? Can you recommend some good restaurants in Lisbon?

Not really. It's not in my price range. Mac Donalds has soups, though, which was a shock for me :) A.... and there is this place in Belem, Pasteis de Belem which has traditional pastries.. I don't really think that they are better than in other places, but they are definitely traditional. Parreirinha do Duque in Bairo Alto has good food for good prices. Also, there is this bar/restaurant in the Atheneu where they have a limited type of dishes, but the ones they have are really good. I was amazed by their salad.

What good cultural sites are there to visit?

Free stuff in Belem on Sundays: Padrao do Descobrimentos - good view of theTejo, Belem Tower, Museum of Ethnology (nice but heterogeneous collections), Jeronimos Monastery, The Archaeological museum.
Still not finished everything there is to see. Everyone is praising Sintra and Cascais.

Is there any other advice that you could give to students going to Lisbon in the future?

Come. Enjoy life. Lisbon gives you this amazing feeling that everything it's ok :)